Türkiye closes border with Syria after refugee wave

Türkiye has closed its border with Syria after about 70,000 Kurds fled to the country in just two days.

Türkiye has closed its border with Syria just two days after reopening it.

The Turkish government made the decision after clashes between security forces and Kurds. The border closure is also aimed at preventing Kurdish fighters from entering Syria to fight against IS.

Türkiye opened its border with Syria on July 19 to Syrians fleeing the town of Kobane. However, Türkiye later closed the border due to Kurdish protests and the number of refugees becoming too large.

“Türkiye will help the refugees in every way possible but the refugee areas are becoming increasingly overcrowded,” said UNHCR spokesman Selin Unal.

According to Turkish officials, the majority of the refugees come from the town of Kobane, where massacres occurred when IS militants seized the area last month.

Some 847,000 refugees have arrived in Türkiye since the civil war against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began three years ago. Many have taken refuge in overcrowded schools as Türkiye struggles to cope with the influx.

According to HNMO